SRM CAMPUS ERUPTS INTO JOYFUL LAUGHTER WITH KENNY SEBASTIAN

Kattankulathur, September 22:  Gone was their stress as celebrated stand up comedian Kenny Sebastian tickled the funny bones of  students and regaled them with his improvised music at the SRM Institute of Science and Technology on Saturday.

“Guys and gals don’t stress because you will be great,”  the cool humorist  said strumming his guitar and singing of something as commonplace as “I am waking up, standing, sitting on a chair and dreaming another dream”. “I will not move to the washroom and spare you the flushing,” he said making fun of some  pedestrian western music that was catching on in India. The message to students was to find their own internal rhythm and look for answers within themselves. “The problem is most people look outside for solutions,” he said.

The 45-minute show which had over 5,000 students giggling and laughing as they hung on his every comma and full stop, regarding tall boys and short girls, chappals and high heels, had an underlying sobering theme of  not getting stressed up whether students were studying engineering, science, technology or arts. “I have a degree in painting and sculpture.” he said quickly adding, “And a Ph.D  in ‘Disappointment’ evoking peals of laughter.  Life comes in positives and negatives but it is important to be honest and work hard without losing your sense of humour, he said emphasizing the importance of mental health.

Swaying on to the stage arms held out as wings simulating a touchdown by an aeroplane,  Kenny  made an instant connect with them asking where he should stand,  at the centre or on one flank.  A girl student shouted “I love you Kenny” and pat came the response, “I don’t know you, you might be crazy, but I am just joking, I love you too, so sweet of you.”

Another rib tickler was, “Hum Theen Honge Paanch” (We three will become five) taking a dig at the country’s rising population. “it does  not matter what you say, just make it sound nice,” he said breaking into a  mild shocker “Tumne Paadh Diya, Hum Ne Sun Liya Kyonki Tum Ho SRM University” (You Fart, I heard it because You are SRM varsity). Alluding to students who had gathered many hours in advance of his arrival at the T.P Ganesan Auditorium,  Kenny had them exploding with his remark, “Hope you took a bathroom break”.

The Kenny Sebastian show was the highlight of the day-long ‘Jhalak’ cultural event at SRM campus.  It was a sort of homecoming for Kenny who had a few years back enlivened the week-long ‘Milan’ cultural fest at SRM.  Kenny’s show also brought the smiles to the faces of faculty, educationists and administrators at SRM who have been taking various measures to address the problem of depression among students which has become a world-wide challenge on campuses.  It was Kenny competing  in time and space with academicians,  administrators, scientists and medical experts to engage students in an entirely off- cademia experience.

 “I feel inspired to be a stand up comedian myself. Kenny is way above his counterparts when it comes to connecting with students.”  Samraj Singh Khokar,  a  second  year student said.  Said Ayush Rao, another student, “Basically what I thought of Kenny’s show was how by just being funny and observing simple things can make you that big a celebrity. All you have to do is to just enjoy what you do.” 💢💢